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What is NSQF?

The National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) was notified on 27th December 2013, by the Ministry of Finance, pursuant to the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Skill Development held on 19th December 2013.

NSQF is a national competency-based skill framework that provides for multiple pathways, horizontal as well as vertical to facilitate mobility both within vocational education and training/ skilling and between vocational education and training/ skilling and general education thus linking one level of learning to another higher level. The NSQF is also a quality assurance framework as it organizes qualifications in a series 8 levels based on Professional Theoretical Knowledge, Professional and Technical Skills/ Expertise, Employment Readiness & Entrepreneurship Skills & Mind-set, Broad Learning Outcomes and Responsibility. These levels are defined in terms of learning outcomes which are an explicit description of what a learner should know, understand and be able to do as a result of learning, regardless of whether these competencies were acquired through formal, experiential, non-formal or informal learning. This enables learners to acquire the desired competency levels, transit to the job market, and at an opportune time, return for acquiring additional/ advanced skills as required to further upgrade their competencies.

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The NSQF is based on an outcome based approach wherein each level is defined and described in terms of competency levels that are to be achieved, thereby enabling clear provisions for mobility (both vertical & horizontal) and making progression pathways transparent for students, institutions and employers. The NSQF has resulted in development of quality qualifications applicable both in school education and higher education and has also helped in alignment of Indian qualifications to international qualifications through existing qualification frameworks of other countries. The NSQF facilitates the awarding of credit and supports credit transfer and progression routes within the Indian Education and Training system.

NSQF is anchored in National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) and is implemented through National Skills Qualification Committee (NSQC) for which a permanent secretariat is set up in NCVET. The NSQC has representation from Central Ministries, NITI Aayog, all regulators including UGC, AICTE, and CBSE, Awarding Bodies like the Directorate General of Training (DGT), Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and the State Skill Development Missions, and select industry bodies by rotation.

NSQF Alignment and Approval

Submission of Qualifications to NCVET

  1. The submitting body (now awarding bodies) will submit files on the nodal e-mail id: coord-ncvet[at]gov[dot]in.
  2.  All qualifications files, depending on the category i.e general, unorganized, OEM, SHI, NOS based, Micro-credentials etc must be accompanied with relevant supporting documents.

Types of qualifications for NSQF alignment

NCVET receives the following types of qualifications for NSQF alignment & approval:

  1. New qualifications- submitted to NCVET for NSQF alignment and approval for the first time. This could include general qualifications, NOS, Micro-credentials, OEM based qualifications and Multi sectoral or cross sectoral qualifications.
  2. Revised Qualifications: Submitted to NCVET for renewal
      • Revised without any change- such qualifications are presented to NSQC only for extension of validity and no significant change in the qualification has been made. The changes if at all could be wrt change of parameters in the Q-file template or addition of any compulsory component/ questions like for eg. amenable to PwD or is the qualification keeping inclusivity in mind etc. or changing hours to make them multiple of 30 or including an employability skill module as mandated.
      • Revised with changes- such qualifications are revised wrt major elements of qualification like notional hours, entry criteria, addition or deletion of NOS, redefining progression etc. Such changes could also be a result of the technological changes happening in the ecosystem including policy changes and industry linked changes.
      • Rationalised: In order to make qualifications cater to a wider set of candidates, the option of electives has been introduced wherein the learning can undertake a common module and a set of electives as per their interest. If so needed, the learner can also undertake additional electives at later stages also.
  3. Qualifications for adoption by other ABs: The AB can adopt qualifications as approved by NSQC belonging to other AB. The adopting AB shall comply with the guidelines for adoption of qualification in this regard.

Scrutiny of Qualifications: Desk review by respective consultants

  • Qualifications to be checked for completeness at two levels
    1. In respect of documents specified in checklist
    2. In respect of points mentioned in Qualification File.
  • The documents to be submitted along with the qualifications of different types as per the checklist (mentioned at 8a) is as below:
S. No Documents Q-File Model Curriculum Industry validation Line Ministry Concurrence Evidence of need Any other
  Type of qualification            
1 NEW  
1.1 General Yes Yes Yes – 30 Yes Yes  
1.2 NOS Yes Yes Yes – 30 Yes Yes  
1.3 Micro-credential Yes Yes Yes -5 Yes Yes  
1.4 OEM based Yes Yes Yes -5 Yes Yes  
1.5 Multi Sectoral- Cross Sectoral Yes Yes Yes -10 Yes Yes  
2 Revised without change Yes Yes Yes -5 Yes Yes  
3 Revised with change Yes Yes Yes -21 Yes Yes Annexure O
4 Rationalized Yes Yes Yes -21 Yes Yes  
5 Adopted * Yes Yes No No Yes  

*The requirement of documents is subject to modifications being undertaken by AB

  • Qualifications to be checked for other parameters/issues like:
    1. Submission of qualification in English as well as in Hindi version
    2. The supporting documents esp MC to also be made available in English and Hindi language
    3. Duplication of nomenclature on NQR and reasons/justifications
    4. Whether new/ revised/ revised with change/ rationalised
    5. Line Ministry Concurrence/ consultation for qualifications received from submitting body other than Government bodies
    6. Entry criteria, notional hours, NSQF levels etc as per the revised standardized NSQF norms.
    7. Any other, as relevant
  • Comments, if any, regarding completeness of documents shall be sent to the submitting body/ AB for compliance by them.
  • In case of non- availability of any document/s, the qualification shall be returned back to the AB. In such cases the submission date shall be reconsidered to start from the date the complete dossier is submitted.
  • In case only the hindi version of qualification file and the MC is not available, the qualification shall be considered for next step subject to AB submitting the hindi version before uploading the files on NQR.
  • In case of any other comments on qualifications, the submitting body will have to resubmit the proposals after incorporating the comments for being considered in NSQC.

Technical Scrutiny and Stakeholder Review/ Consultation

  • The consultants to conduct a technical evaluation by means of stakeholder consultation with SMEs which includes academicians, industry, employers, Government representativeetc for their views/ comments on the qualification.
  • The qualification duly amended, if applicable, shall be re-submitted to NCVET within a week.

Formulation of Agenda and Minutes and presenting to NSQC

The details of the final qualification/s as decided after stakeholder consultations will be incorporated in the agenda for placing in the NSQC.

Conducting NSQC

The qualification to be placed in NSQC for alignment and approval

Assigning of qualification code to the qualification

All qualifications approved by NSQC will be assigned a unique code. The methodology of assigning the qualification codes shall be as per the policy guidelines of NCVET.

Uploading of approved qualifications on NQR

  • Approved Files after assigning the unique qualification code in format prescribed is uploaded on National Qualification Register as per the SOP for NQR uploading.
  • Action to be taken with respect to the decisions taken on Q-File during NSQC will be as mentioned:
S.No Possible Cases of Proposals Action to be taken
1 Approved To be uploaded (as per SOP of NQR)
2 Conditionally Approved TO be uploaded subject to fulfilment of the compliance
3 Not Approved None